Styling Confidence: Cabi Loves Local
Last week I had a front row seat to watch women lift up other women. We are so much better together! Cabi is a women’s fashion company dedicated to empowering women. The company sells through individual stylists rather than traditional retail. Through its Heart of Cabi Foundation, Cabi pours into women all over the globe. For this year’s Love Local event, they chose to lift up a group of women associated with Lafayette House, a women’s shelter and treatment center, in Joplin, Missouri. A team of Cabi stylists outfitted more than 20 struggling women in several new outfits. These stylists understood the mission — they weren’t just dressing women, they were styling confidence.
From my chair in the corner, I watched the ladies enter the room hesitantly. Shy. Uncertain. Moments after being swooped up by a stylist, they emerged from behind a dressing screen decked out in color and style. Seeing themselves in the mirror elicited giggles, and then with a little encouragement, they began to strut down an imagined runway and break into laughter. Moments later, they walked out with big smiles, heads held high.
While the stylist wrapped up their outfits, the ladies sat down to chat with me about the shopping experience and share a bit of their story. Most of the women have struggled with substance abuse and are in treatment programs. Many are trying to regain custody of their children. When asked about where they planned to wear their new outfits, many replied “to my court hearing.”
When is a new outfit more than just clothing? When you wear it standing before a judge, desperate to demonstrate a changed life. Desperate to be reunited with your children.
Others planned to wear their new clothes to job interviews, or to birthday parties, or to church. All of them have dreams and plans for a better future, and they left feeling optimistic and hopeful. More than just the clothing, they appreciated the encouragement and hugs. Here are some of their words:
- “I’m 5 months sober and I’ve never felt better in my life. Today was the cherry on top.
- “This just brightened my whole day. I’m not able to buy things for myself, and I’m going to feel so pretty at my son’s 21st birthday party.”
- “I just started an office job, and a lot of my co-workers dress up. It makes me feel beautiful and confident when I wear a nice outfit.”
- “When my husband died a year and a half ago, I couldn’t take care of my five children. I spiraled and went back into addiction. I’m getting help here, and I’m looking forward to starting beauty school soon. God is making me a new person, and I’m so grateful for the people who have helped me.”
- “This has been so fun, and everyone is so kind. I’m going to make a better impression in court wearing my new outfit instead of sweats and a hoodie.”
- “I’m a boy mom, so this was really fun! My stylist helped me tap into my feminine energy.”
- “This has really boosted my confidence. I’ve been sober now longer than I’ve ever been in my life, and I will be taken more seriously in court. I have plans to go to nursing school.
- “I’m a CNA, working to become an LPN. I didn’t have decent clothes to wear to court. You guys have given me such confidence! Thank you!”
This is not the first time Cabi has chosen to invest in the women of Joplin. We just passed the 15-year anniversary of the EF-5 tornado that leveled 25% of our city, and Cabi showed up big time then to help us get back on our feet. They filled an entire warehouse and outfitted more than 500 women with beautiful clothes and a sense of hope amidst devastating loss! The good people of Joplin will never forget the kindness of strangers during that dark time.
In addition to Love Local events like this one, Cabi has donated more than $70 million to impact women in 66 countries, often through micro loans to help women start businesses. I’ve been wearing Cabi for more than 20 years, and this is part of the reason I’m a champion of the brand. If you know me at all, you know how passionately I endorse living your values by spending your dollars intentionally.
Interested in learning more about Cabi? If you live in the Joplin area, I’d be happy to connect you to my stylist. Otherwise refer to the website to find a stylist in your area.
Thank you, Cabi, for lifting up women by styling confidence. And thank you, Lafayette House, for believing in second chances and making every woman feel worthy. You all made my day.